The Planning and Regulatory Committee is scheduled to consider two minerals and waste applications for continued extraction at existing quarries near Laleham. The applications would allow the companies involved to amend their current working permissions and update their restoration plans. Both quarries are in the Metropolitan Green Belt¹.

Minerals and Waste Application SP22/01006/SCRVC - Land at Manor Farm, Ashford Road and Worple Road, Laleham and land at Queen Mary Quarry, west of Queen Mary Reservoir, Ashford Road, Laleham, Staines, Surrey

The report pack for this meeting suggests the committee is scheduled to consider an application to vary conditions attached to an existing permission for Brett Group to extract 1.5 million tonnes of sand and gravel from land at Manor Farm that was granted in 2015 (planning reference SP12/01132). The variation would allow the company to deposit silt arising from the processing of the minerals extracted at Manor Farm into the voids created by their extraction, in the first two of the site's four planned phases of extraction. This silt was previously expected to be deposited at the adjacent Queen Mary Quarry, but it is now thought that the silt lagoons there will reach capacity before extraction at Manor Farm is complete. The report explains that the proposal depends on a second planning application for permission to build a conveyor to transport the extracted minerals to Queen Mary Quarry. That application is due to be considered later in the meeting (application reference SP23/00160/SCC, see below). The report notes that the variation would require several of the existing conditions attached to the 2015 permission to be changed. In particular, the plans for the phasing of the extraction and restoration of the site would be altered, and a new agreement would be needed to control the total number of HGV movements to and from Queen Mary Quarry. The report summarises the representations that have been received from members of the public and consultees. Many of these representations express concern about the impact of the proposals on traffic, noise, air quality, and the visual amenity of the Green Belt. However, the report concludes that the proposal would not have a significant impact on any of these matters, and that any adverse impacts could be mitigated by the imposition of appropriate conditions. The report recommends that the application be permitted, subject to the prior completion of a variation to the existing Section 106 Agreement and the imposition of 51 conditions.

The proposed changes would require several of the conditions attached to the original permission to be varied, in particular in relation to the plans related to the phasing of the mineral extraction and the progressive restoration of the site. This would create a new permission with different conditions. In most cases, the changes would be limited to alterations to the approved plans, and the provision and wording of the conditions themselves would remain.

The variation to the Section 106 Agreement that is recommended would ensure the new planning permission remains subject to a limit on the total number of HGV movements to and from Queen Mary Quarry. The existing agreement only covers HGV movements associated with two other planning permissions at that site (planning references SP07/1273 and SP07/1275), but not the third (planning reference SP07/1269), meaning that the existing limit of 300 movements per day only applies to two out of the three permissions currently in force. The report recommends that the agreement be varied to also cover the third permission, and that a new condition (condition 16) be added to the planning permission to ensure that the existing limit of 300 HGV movements per day covers all three permissions in force at Queen Mary Quarry, as well as the new permission being sought for Manor Farm.

When measured in combination with all planning permissions for Queen Mary Quarry, the development hereby permitted shall give rise to no more than 300 HGV movements (150 two way HGV movements) on any working day. The site operator shall maintain accurate records of the number of HGV vehicles accessing and egressing the site daily and shall make these available to the County Planning Authority on request.

The silt that the application seeks permission to deposit in the quarry voids was produced by mineral washing, a process in which water is used to remove impurities from the extracted minerals. The applicant states in the report pack that they intend to continue using water abstracted from Queen Mary Quarry for the washing process under their existing abstraction licence (licence number TH/039/0031/008). This licence currently only covers water used for mineral washing, and would need to be varied if the company wanted to use it for other purposes, like vehicle washing or concrete production, or if they wanted to use water from a different source, like a new borehole or a surface water body.

It is mentioned in the planning application that water would be needed for concrete production dust suppression (including vehicle washing) and potentially for landscape irrigation. If you intend to use your existing abstraction licence for any purpose other than mineral washing, you will need to contact us to discuss the possibility of varying your licence. You would also need to contact us if you intend to drill a new borehole or seek to take water from a surface water source (e.g. lake/river).

The Spelthorne Natural History Society, a local amenity group, has made a number of representations about the application, expressing particular concern about the potential impact of the proposals on hydrology, groundwater and the local ecology. The society has queried the depth of the planned lake in phase one, suggesting that it should be at least two metres deep to ensure it does not dry out, and has asked for an updated bat survey to be carried out before work begins.

The SNHS consider that insufficient attention has been paid to the possible effects of climate change with a large proportion of precipitation now falling as heavy rainfall suggesting that flood events could become more frequent and the area affected by flood water could be greater.

The report pack includes a response from the applicant to these representations. The applicant explains that a two-metre depth for the lake is not considered necessary. The company’s existing groundwater monitoring information indicates that the lake would fluctuate between 0.4m and 1.7m deep throughout the year. This, the applicant explains, is sufficient to allow the reedbeds planned in that phase to grow and thrive. The response also confirms that an updated bat survey was previously agreed with the council’s ecologist, and that pre-commencement bat surveys would be carried out as part of the condition requiring the company to implement a biodiversity mitigation scheme before work begins.

The report also recommends that the applicant be informed of their responsibility to take steps to prevent the further spread of Japanese Knotweed that has been identified in the application area.

The applicant is advised to take all reasonable measures not to exacerbate the spread of Japanese Knotweed within the site and not to obstruct or prejudice any related measures undertaken by the landowner.

Minerals and Waste Application SP23/00160/SCC - Land at Queen Mary Quarry, Ashford Road, Laleham, Surrey, TW18 1QF

The report pack suggests this application is scheduled to be considered to allow Brett Aggregates to install a conveyor belt at Queen Mary Quarry. The conveyor would transport minerals extracted from the adjacent Manor Farm to the processing plant at Queen Mary Quarry. Permission to build the conveyor was previously granted in 2015 (planning reference SP/13/01003), but that permission expired before it was implemented. The report notes that this application is partly retrospective because some of the conveyor belt has already been installed. The report summarises the representations that have been received from members of the public and consultees. Many of these representations express concern about the impact of the proposals on traffic, air quality and the visual amenity of the Green Belt. However, the report concludes that the proposal would not have a significant impact on any of these matters, and that any adverse impacts could be mitigated by the imposition of appropriate conditions. The report recommends that the application be permitted, subject to the imposition of 9 conditions. The Spelthorne Natural History Society has objected to the proposal, expressing concern that it would have a detrimental impact on local wildlife.

Object on ecological and environmental grounds (to be discussed in the Planning Considerations section). In particular, the society is concerned that the proposed route of the conveyor would result in the loss of habitat for several species of rare invertebrate. The report pack includes a response from the applicant to the representations received from the society. The response clarifies that the conveyor is designed to avoid those areas of habitat known to support rare species, and that any habitat that has to be removed would be relocated by hand. Of the habitats being removed, the site operator would disassemble and relocate any deadwood habitat by hand and the removal of any natural habitat is to be completed under ecological watching brief as per the protocol in Appendix 2 of the SEI. Whilst these measures are not specific to invertebrates, they still allow for the sensitive removal of habitat where required.